Invading Norway

[Victarion Greyjoy]

Before I got the "Man the guns" DLC I never had trouble invading Norway. Now however I just can't get naval superiority to do it. I have all +90 of my ships in the Danish Belt, and 100% air superiority over the area and my landing craft are only going from Denmark across the Danish Belt to Norway. Yet I can't get more then 40%. It says There 200+ enemy ships in the danish belt but that is BS. I have naval bombers and my ships set to patrol and I don't see a damn ship in the area to fight. Only thing I can think of is it 200+ subs I just cant find?

[A Bat From Wuhan]

Your ships may be unable to locate the enemy fleets. Light Cruisers with several aircraft catapult modules are great for spotting both subs and surface ships. Radar (both on ships and land based) will also help detect surface ships and Destroyers with sonar will locate subs if that's the issue.

Also you may have air superiority but not the range to fully cover the sea zone, I wouldn't think thats the case considering the small size of the sea area, but worth mentioning.

[chaosguy]

I could be off base, because we all know the Hoi4 is and always has run without any bugs but... I think it also counts ships in port by mistake (ie. The Strike groups that are just sitting there & waiting get counted).

[Dr Duh]

Is one of your invasion targets Kristiansand?

[Victarion Greyjoy]

Yeah one point was, but i edited the order and removed it and still stuck at 40%. Going to retry and build a anti sub navy early. Not sure what else to do

[ProgramTheta]

This is really strange. Usually in my games the Allies tend to go no further than the Channel and the coasts of Norway and Britain. The Eastern North Sea forms a kind of wall against them. They don't come in, especially when I heavily mine the area, and if they DO come in, it's usually only like 30-40 ships and I quickly destroy it with the German surface fleet.

200+ ships in the Danish belt? Yeah it's definitely a massive sub fleet. Try using the North sea to keep them from getting into the Danish Belt in the first place, or at least stall them long enough for your men to get across.

[Dr Duh]

Originally posted by Victarion Greyjoy:

Yeah one point was, but i edited the order and removed it and still stuck at 40%. Going to retry and build a anti sub navy early. Not sure what else to do

Hmm, editing might not be enough - it might be necessary to delete and start from scratch - an invasion into Kristiansand paths into the Eastern North Sea - which a British surface fleet could definitely be guarding.

If it isn't that then there's two things I can think of to try:

1. Norwegian fleet in Oslo. Try port attacks on Southern Norway.

2. British subs? I shouldn't think they could count for naval superiority - but just to see, patrols are supposed to be able to spot subs I hear, and I know I've seen naval bombers attack subs, so bomber and ASW TF patrols in Danish Belts should give you evidence of sub presence. Otherwise if it takes a convoy to lure them into showing themselves, you can transfer a garrison to the Danish island north of Stettin so that it needs a supply convoy you can escort (it's in the Baltic, not the Belts, but it should draw attacks from any subs there).

[Victarion Greyjoy]

https://imgur.com/a/NGw7X9t

[Victarion Greyjoy]

man I don't get it. I restarted the game made sure not to include Kristiansand as a part of the invasion plan and put sonar and Bi plane scouts on my ships and I somehow ended up WORSE! i have less ships because i built more destroyers and light cruisers and no subs this time. It also says there are a estimated 300 ENEMY SHIPS NOW IN THE BELT WTF!!! This is 100+ more then last time and its Nov of 1939! I just don't get how anyone is invading Norway. Is my game just bugged somehow?

[Victarion Greyjoy]

anyone got any ideas?

[Dr Duh]

Did you pre-plan your invasion before DoW on Norway so that when you DoW you could execute immediately?
Did you refit your DD's with sonar and depth charges and build new DDs for ASW work?
Did you patrol/convoy escort/naval bomber in Baltic/Danish Belts from as soon as war started? Don't DoW Norway until the Brits have cleared out with their subs.

Port strike Southern Norway as soon as you DoW.

Distraction is good too. DoW Norway and launch invasion at same time you're hitting low countries. Or lure Brits into attempting an invasion at Wilhemshaven or Hamburg by moving back your garrison. Once they're involved with that DoW Norway and execute your invasion.

[Victarion Greyjoy]

Yeah I have not declared on noway yet and have it pre-planned. I refitted my DD with he latest Sonar and Depth charges. I'm killing a few subs, but its not like I'm going to kill 300 ships anytime soon. I see about 15 subs in the belt my fleet and naval bombers are chasing but it says there are +300. I did not patrol or bomb the belt as soon as war was declared but I am now. I just don't understand how there are 300 ships in the danish belt in 1939. Its crazy!